4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East (United Kingdom)
| allegiance = | branch = | type = Infantry | role = | size = Brigade | command_structure = 1st (United Kingdom) Division | current_commander = Brigadier Oliver Brown | garrison = Catterick, North Yorkshire | ceremonial_chief = | colonel_of_the_regiment = | nickname = The Black Rats | patron = | motto = | colors = | march = | mascot = | battles = Second World War :North African Campaign :Invasion of Sicily :Battle of Normandy :North West Europe Campaign Gulf War Bosnian War Kosovo Campaign Iraq War Afghanistan | notable_commanders = Michael Carver | anniversaries = }} 4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East (The Black Rats), previously known as 4th Mechanized Brigade (The Black Rats) is a brigade formation of the British Army, currently based in Catterick, North Yorkshire as part of 1st (United Kingdom) Division. The brigade, now known as the 'Black Rats', was formed in 1939 and fought in the Second World War in the Western Desert Campaign in North Africa. The Black Rats were subsequently involved in the invasion of Sicily and fighting in Italy before taking part in the Battle of Normandy and the advance through Belgium, Holland and into Germany.Brigadier RMP Carter (1945). The History of the 4th Armoured Brigade. . More recently, the Brigade took part in the First Gulf War and completed a number of tours to the Balkans during the 1990s. The Black Rats have since deployed twice to Iraq and once before to Afghanistan for Operation Herrick 12 in 2010. The Brigade returned to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in October 2012 for Operation Herrick 17 to take over as the lead formation of British troops. The roulement tour saw the brigade working in support of the Afghan Army's 3/215 Brigade and elements of the Afghan National Police. History Second World War In September 1939, at the start of the Second World War this brigade changed its title from Heavy Armoured Brigade (Egypt) to 4th Armoured Brigade.Brief History Of The British 4th Armoured Brigade On 27 July 1941, it handed over its units to the 1st Army Tank Brigade and received new units based in Egypt. It was reformed again when the HQ arrived in Sicily and it took control of new units there. The 4th Armoured Brigade saw service in the North African Campaign, the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Italian Campaign and in North-western Europe. Although it served under many different formations it was most famous as part of the 7th Armoured Division, the Desert Rats. of the 44th Royal Tank Regiment, 4th Armoured Brigade, passing Universal Carriers of the 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers east of the River Rhine, 25 March 1945.]] The 4th Armoured Brigade left the 7th Armoured Division in North Africa in 1943 for the Allied Invasion Force for Normandy. In June 1944, the brigade landed in Normandy and served with distinction during the Battle of Normandy during the Battle for Caen. From Normandy until the end of the war, the 4th Armoured Brigade was composed as follows: * Royal Scots Greys (left 29 April 1945) * 44th Royal Tank Regiment * 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) (became 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) on 29 July 1944) * 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (left 14 May 1945) * 1st East Riding Yeomanry (from 14 June 1945) The 4th Armoured Brigade was the first to cross the Rhine into Germany.Desert Rats Association website Order of battle, Second World War Cold War Era The Brigade spent many years in Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine. The brigade was one of two "square" brigades assigned to 2nd Armoured Division when it was formed in 1976. After being briefly converted to "Task Force Charlie" in the late 1970s, the brigade was reinstated in 1981, assigned to 3rd Armoured Division and was based at York Barracks in Münster. The Brigade deployed to the First Gulf War on Operation Granby in 1990/91 and was involved in the liberation of Kuwait. It moved to Quebec Barracks at Osnabrück in 1993 to replace 12th Armoured Brigade as part of 1st (UK) Armoured Division.4th Mechanized Brigade Global Security Post-Cold War 4th Armoured Brigade deployed to Bosnia in October 1995 as UNPROFOR HQ Sector South-West and subsequently as the leading UK element of the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR).The Blue Beret (December 2000/January 2001) On its return to the United Kingdom in 2007 it was transferred from 1st (UK) Armoured Division to 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division. The Black Rats have since deployed twice to Iraq and once before to Afghanistan for Operation Herrick 12 in 2010. The Brigade returned to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in October 2012 for Operation Herrick 17 to take over as the lead formation of British troops. The roulement tour saw the brigade working in support of the Afghan Army's 3/215 Brigade and elements of the Afghan National Police. As part of the latter changes of Army 2020 both the 2nd and 4th Battalions of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment will move out of the brigade. The 2nd battalion moving to the Specialized Infantry Group and the 4th battalion moving to the re-named Headquarters, North West. Current formation Under Army 2020, the brigade lost its armour and converted to an infantry brigade. The units to be under its control include: page 9 *'4th Infantry Brigade', in Catterick **The Light Dragoons, in Catterick, Light Cavalry Reconnaissance Regiment **The Queen's Own Yeomanry, in Newcastle, Reserve Light Cavalry Reconnaissance Regiment ** 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, in Catterick, Light Infantry Battalion (moving to Cyprus in 2020) ** 4th Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, in York, Reserve Light Infantry Battalion, paired with 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment ** 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, in Chester, Light Infantry Battalion ** 4th Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, in Preston, Lancashire, Reserve Light Infantry Battalion, paired with 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment **2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (The Royal Highland Fusiliers), in Peniciuk, Light Infantry Battalion. **6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (52nd Lowland), in Glasgow, Motherwell, Edinburgh, Bathgate, Galashiels, Ayr and Dumfries, Light Infantry Battalion. ** Headquarters Catterick Garrison, at Bourlon Barracks ** Headquarters York Garrison, at Imphal Barracks The Brigade also exercises command over all British Army Units based in the North East for the purposes of UK Operations. Second World War Commanders }}During the Second World War:Orders of Battle *3 September 1939 - 1 November 1939 Lieutenant-Colonel HRB Watkins *1 November 1939 - 16 November 1939 Brigadier JAL Caunter *16 November 1939 - 5 December 1939 Lieutenant-Colonel HRB Watkins *5 December 1939 - 8 May 1941 Brigadier JAL Caunter *8 May 1941 - 26 June 1942 Brigadier AH Gatehouse *26 June 1942 - 7 July 1942 Brigadier AF Fisher *7 July 1942 - 4 October 1942 Brigadier WG Carr *4 October 1942 - 18 November 1942 Brigadier MG Roddick *18 November 1942 - 10 December 1942 Colonel RCG Joy *10 December 1942 - 24 January 1943 Brigadier CBC Harvey *24 January 1943 - 27 February 1943 Brigadier DS Newton-King *27 February 1943 - 30 December 1943 Brigadier JC Currie *30 December 1943 - 16 March 1944 Brigadier HJB Cracroft *16 March 1944 - 26 June 1944 Brigadier JC Currie *26 June 1944 - 27 June 1944 Colonel JL Young *27 June 1944 - 25 January 1945 Brigadier RMP Carver *25 January 1945 - 22 February 1945 Lieutenant-Colonel GC Hopkinson *22 February 1945 - 31 August 1945 Brigadier RMP Carver Brigade Commanders Recent commanders have included:Army Commands * 1976–1978 Brigadier Desmond Langley * 1981–1984 Brigadier Charles Guthrie * 1994–1996 Brigadier Richard Dannatt * 1996–1998 Brigadier David Richards * 1998–2000 Brigadier Bill Rollo * 2000-2002 Brigadier Nicholas Smith * 2002–2004 Brigadier Paul Gibson * 2005–2007 Brigadier Chris Deverell * 2007–2009 Brigadier Julian Free5,000 'Rats' spotted in Basra Defence News, 11 December 2007 * 2009–2011 Brigadier Richard FeltonBrigadier salutes move to Garrison Northern Echo, 17 February 2009 * 2011–2013 Brigadier Bob Bruce4th Mechanized Brigade 11 April 2011 * 2013–2015 Brigadier Charlie Herbert New man takes over the Black Rats Northern Echo, 12 June 2013 * 2015–2016 Brigadier Gerald Strickland * 2016–2019 Brigadier Oliver Stokes MBE * 2019–present Brigadier Oliver Brown Notable former soldiers Former BBC Motor sports commentator Murray Walker served with 4th Armoured Brigade during the Second World War as a member of The Royal Scots Greys. After the war he started a motorcycle club, organising trials and scrambles for the soldiers within the Brigade.Murray Walker (2003). Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken. . See also * 4th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom) * British Armoured formations of World War II References Further reading *Brigadier RMP Carter (1945). The History of the 4th Armoured Brigade. . External links *4th Infantry Brigade *Desert Rats Association - Brigade History *British Army Locations from 1945 4 Armoured Category:Army 2020 4 Mechanised Category:Military units and formations established in 1939 Category:Organisations based in North Yorkshire Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 Category:Military units and formations established in 1976 4 Mechanised